Apparatus for engraving tombstones and the like



2,450,401 PPARAT'US on ENGRAVING iToMBsToNEs AND THE LIKE Filed oct; '7, 1944" v Sept. 28, 1948. w. H. THOMPSON 2 Shee'ucs-Sheet INI/NToR, 0m/U50.

Wig/276g objects `which Will appear. during.

Patented Sept. 28, 1948 APPARATUS FOR ENGRAVING TOMB- STONESAND THE LIKE.

William H. Thompson, Wilson, Kans. Application-October 7, 1944, Serial No. 557,695

3 Claims.

This invention relatesto improvements in the methodof'and apparatus fordecorating the surfaceiof stone and'f'other materials;`

Tlief present generalV method: ofy ydecorating stones 1 such asl tombstones` and theflike' consistsV off? very f expensive and; laborious operations due torthe'fact that" the "stone must be 'handled' sev'- eraltimes; Thishandlingfroff the 'stone' is necessitated because of' the-iact\;thatfallofzthe sand blasting: operations are now 'performed Awhile the stone face to be decorated is in a vertical position, and-furthermore; becausebetween eachv of the blastingtoperations viti1 isA necessary to place the stoneinposition so'that the face'lto be decorated isinho'rizontal` position to receive the glue masks rusedtoprotectf adjacent portions of the stoneiacei-from .objectionable action of the sand blast. A-ftei' these:y masks-:aref in. position, the stoneisagainmovedto thevertical position for Sandblasting:

Itz-iis'ith'e 'principalxobjectroi this invention to avoi'dfithese: expensive4 operations and-to 'maintairr the''stone surface zontal :position: on"V a; Wheeled bench; throughout thefvarius steps required in -thef'decorating proefA ess:

This; invention y'also contemplates the eliminatiom of. a"largefproportionate part` of the glue masking novv'fbeingxusecLV A .further-object of this invention*` isthecontemplation-ofvan apparatus wherein Hall-the blastingfoperationsarea-performed Abyfasand .blast diS- posed inaasubstantiallyfvertical lina A-still'further object-,bf the invention contemplates'the4 blastingjof.: panels; shape-carvings,

tracingslettering andi-designs by a I.sand blastv at.

extremely close range. v

Anotherobject ofthe present invention'is the provisionof a method of 'engraving the horizontally-"disposed` surfaceeof astone by sand. blasting and by: the usef ofmaskslwhich may be-glued, Weighte'dzor otherwise secured n,against accidental movement' on. the.l horizontal surface.y to vbe engrayed;

Affurther object of lthis;invention:-contemplates thefsanblasting oistonesurfaces-within an en.- clsure, said: sand blasting; being performed by anfoperator positioned-.outside saidaenclosure.

Other objectsare simplicity and economy of construction, ease andeaccuracy of` operation` and adaptability` for use in @blastingfcongurations of thefvarioustypes inathehorizontally disposed suriaceofianygsuitable material.

Withfithesef objects in.vieW asf well ias'Y further the?` courseof to be decorated -inv a hori-V 2f the specification, reference will thedrawings, wherein:

Figure -1 is aplan'view paratus partly brokenl away and embodying-thisv invention.

Fig. 2 is1a sectional. vievvv taken onwline IIi-II of Fig. 1 with some of the partsy partially broken* Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional viewoftheinside of the front Wallshovving thewindow, op-4 eratingzspring and closure. Fig. 4 is an enlarged. the sand' blast anozzle and'l associated parts.

Fig; 5'.is. aplany viewfor a stone with a-panel` mask positionedzthereon. Fig. 6 is asectionalv of Eig; 5.

Fig. '7 isaa plan View of the'fstone having 'the panelsv etched and covered Witha glue coatingY Fig. 1l' `.is a plan view. of the vfinishedfdecorated;

stone.-

Throughout theseveral views like reference: characters referto similarparts-and the numeral l0, designates a blasting compartment havingy a. frontv Wallv I2,` end-Walls lllfand 'I6 'and a back-v Wall I8; End-Wall Ifconstituteg a. door hinged at-20ffandisecured in-the closed position vby. member.- 22.; This compartmenthas an air inlet 24' controlled by an adjustable valvemember. 2li and;A is also-provided with an exhaust tube -28f-byl meansY ofF which the -stone `cuttings-are exhausted romf thechamber. Thea front Wall l2- of the compartment. is providedfW-ith a suitable window. 30throughwhicn the operator can observe-the surf ace-being decorated., Furthermore, this kfront WallI is provided with a.v horizontally disposed slot-,32-.throughwhich the sand-,blast operating means;` extends-andis controlled.

A sturdywheeledbench Sli-having a-substantiallyplanartopf-SS on which the stone S isrsupported', isprovidedjwith suitable casterwheels 'Marmi-facilitate easy positioning ofthe Wheeled bench relative to the sand blast-nozzle. Usually the.V oppositeside surfaces of a monument or tombstone are surfacedvin planar parallel rela.- tionso .that the-surface f 'I' .to be.- decoratedwill now be had toA of a stone blasting apvertical section through:

ew taken'on line VIe-VIT` always rest in a substantially horizontal position when the opposite surface is resting on bench top 36. However, should surface R be irregular, the stone could be easily levelled by placing supports between the bench top and the stone. When the stone is to .be decorated, it is carefully positioned on the planar top '36 of the wheeled bench with the face to be ldecorated disposed in a substantially horizontal position where it remains throughout all the operations required to produce the desired decoration. When so positioned on the wheeled bench, the stone may be easily moved about for masking, gluing, sand blasting, etc., and since all these operations are performed While the Stone is in the horizontal position, it is never necessary to lift the stone and it may easily be moved about and into the sand blast chamber by one man.

The sand blast chamber contains certain equipment for supporting the sand blast hose 40 which necessarily must be moved so that the nozzle 42 carried thereby may be maintained in a substantially vertical position as it is moved about the surface of the stone. This equipment includes a horizontally swinging crane 44 which is pivotally mounted on vertically disposed rod or bar 45 which is rigidly carried by a bracket 46 supported on the back wall I8 of the compartment. A set collar 41 is provided on rod 45 to support the crane 44 in the desired vertical position. Crane 44 includes an inverted T-bar 48 presenting two side tracks on which the rollers 52 which carry the suspended sand hose bracket 54 are supported for adjustment. It will be noted that bracket 54 is arcuate in form so as to support the hose in a manner that will preclude to a large degree, possible damage to the hose due to sharp bends. Pin 56 serves as a stop to prevent accidental movement of rollers 01T the tracks 50. This support for the sand hose allows for a swinging movement of the hose and also a rolling movement of the bracket support lengthwise of the tracks, thus making it possible to conveniently position the operating nozzle at any desired point on the stone face.

The hose 40 is secured to one end of a tubular member 58 and the other end of 58 is threaded at 60 to receive the nozzle 42. A nozzle carrying bracket 62 mounted on bar 45 for pivotal horizontal movement and also for vertical sliding movement, comprises two sections, 64 and 66, section 64 being pivoted to the bar 45 for horizontal swinging and section 66 being pivoted to section 64 by means of pin 68 disposed in parallel relation to bar 45, whereby the entire bracket will swing in a horizontal plane. The bearings of the brackets on the bar 45 and pin 68 are suiiiciently long to produce free and easy movement of the parts. The tubular member 58 is provided with a transverse threaded stud 10 by means of which it is secured to bracket section 66 as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Tubular member 58 is also provided with an integral standard 12 disposed in spaced relation parallel with the member 58, and adapted to receive for sliding movement thereon section 14 of a universal join 16 having a horizontal hinged joint 18 in which is securely mounted an operating handle 80 which extends `through the slot 32 of the front wall I2. The upward movement of member 14 on standard 12 is limited by an enlarged head 82 and the downward movement is limited by oifset 84.

Slot 32 is closed by a horizontally slidably mounted closure 86 mounted on two flanged rollers 88 carried by wall I2 and secured at its upper portion by an over-hanging ledge 90. It will be noted that closure 86 is sufficiently long to always close the opening 32 regardless of its adjusted position. An opening 92 is formed through the central portion of closure 86 to receive the operating rod or handle for sliding movement therein. A compression spring 94 mounted on bar 45 is secured against the lower side of bracket member 64 by means of a set collar 96. This spring normally supports the bracket and associated parts in a substantially Xed position; however, the operator may raise or lower the nozzle by tilting handle 80 vertically until member 14 contacts head 82 or offset 84 with the c10- sure 86 acting as a fulcrum. This vertical adjustment of the nozzle serves to give a ne adjustment for producing the various sand blasting operations. When so mounted, the sand blast nozzle may be'moved about the surface of the stone without Varying the distance of the nozzle from stone face being decorated.

When doing certain operations in sand blasting, it is desirable to secure the closure 86 against movement so that the operator may use it asa stationary fulcrum for the operating handle for transverse movement of the nozzle. This is accomplished by providing a set screw 98 in wall l2 which may be adjusted inwardly against closure 86 to secure it in a Xed position.

The operation of the apparatus is substantially as follows:

The operator first places the stone S on the wheeled bench with the surface T to be decorated in a substantially horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2. A mask |00 having suitable panel openings |02 formed therein is positioned on the stone surface to be sand blasted and is secured by weights, glue or any other suitable means. The operator now moves the wheeled bench with the stone positioned thereon into the sand blast compartment I0. Since 4the stones vary in thickness, it is quite possible that it will be necessary for the operator to adjust set collar 96 so that the nozzle 42 will be at the proper position above the stone surface. In this type of sand blasting, it is found convenient to place the nozzle about three inches from the work, thus centralizing the blast to a relatively small area to facilitate better control and faster etching. The flow of sand and air through the sand blast hose 40 is controlled in the usual manner (not sho-wn). The operator now grasps the operating handle 80 from outside compartment I0 and manipulates the nozzle 42 in such a manner as to etch surfaces of the stone exposed through panel openings |02. This operation is viewed by the operator through window 30.

During this operation certain shape carving such as |04 may also be produced. The mask or mat |00 is now removed and the etched panels |06 are covered with a coating of glue |08. Either poured or sheet glue may be used. This glue usually laps over the etched panels so as to completely cover the same. The operator now forms the lettering or designs "H0 in the panels by cutting away portions of the glue as shown in Fig. 7, thus exposing the stone surface in the panels so that they may receive the sand blast. In order to protect the unetched stone surface about the panels, the mask |00 is now positioned on the stone surface so that the panel openings register with the etched panels and lap the glue coating |08 as shown in Fig. 10. The stone is again sand blasted to etch the lettering or other designs into the stone surface.

After the etching is completed, the mask and rubber coating are removed and the stone is complete and ready for use. Attention is called to the fact that the stone is always maintained in the same horizontal position on the portable bench, thus eliminating the necessity of handling the stone for masking, gluing, etc., between the sanding operations which have always been performed with the stone face being sand blasted in a vertical position. Furthermore, due to the fact that the surface to be decorated is always maintained in a horizontal position, a large percentage of the former required gluing operations may be eliminated.

It is quite apparent that by the present apparatus and method, stones may be more quickly and easily decorated and that this decoration may be produced much more economically.

The term stone as used in the specication is intended to designate any article to be sand blasted such as marble, granite, stone or any other suitable material.

While an apparatus suitable for carrying out the sand blasting operation has been shown, yet it is app arei t that many minor changes might be made in the structure without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The term sand blast as used in this application is intended to include the use of any of the various types of abrasive such as sand, ne steel shot, carborundum, emery and kindred materials.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to be secured .by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus of the class described comprising a compartment, a sand bla-st hose supported on a horizontally swingable crane and having a depending vertically disposed nozzle vertically carried by a horizontally swingable support whereby to direct a vertical stream of sand therefrom, means extending through the wall of said compartment whereby the position of said nozzle is controlled from outside the compartment, and means for supporting an article having a surface to be sand blasted in a horizontal position substantially parallel with the planar movement of said nozzle.

. a jointed bracket 2. An apparatus of the class described comprising a sand blast compartment having a vertically disposed rod secured to its rear wall and an elongated horizontal slot in its front Wall, a horizontally slidable closure for said slot, a horizontally oscillatable crane mounted on said rod and supporting a sand blast hose for universal horizontal movement, a vertically disposed nozzle communicating With said hose and supported on pivoted on said rod for universal horizontal adjustment, and means extending through said sliding closure whereby the horizontal position of said nozzle is controlled from outside said compartment.

3. An apparatus of the class described comprising a sand blast compartment having a vertically disposed rod secured to its rear Wall and having a front wall, an opening formed in its front wall and an elongated slot formed in its front wall below said front opening, a horizontally slidable closure for said slot, a horizontally oscllatable crane pivoted on said rod supporting a sand blast hose for universal, horizontal movement, a vertically disposed nozzle communicating with said hose and supported on a jointed bracket pivoted on said rod for universal horizontal adjustment and means universally interconnected with said nozzle and extending through said sliding closure whereby the horizontal position of said nozzle is controlled from outside said compartment.

WILLIAM H. THOMPSON.

REFERENCES CITED The -following references are of record in the 'ille ol this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

